Racing
League
Rugby
Cricket
Golf
Motorsport
Combat Sports
Football
Netball
Basketball
Other Sports
Sport Nation
Injury or identity crisis? Unpacking South Sydney's 2025 collapse
Charles Goodsir • July 30th, 2025 1:25 pm
After 21 rounds, the South Sydney Rabbitohs sit in last place on the ladder with coach Wayne Bennett on the cusp of claiming his first ever wooden spoon.
It’s been a dramatic fall from grace for the Bunnies who were runners-up in 2021, made a preliminary final in 2022 and then finished 16th in 2024. South Sydney begun the 2025 season 4-1 but have since lost two of their past 14 matches to sit bottom of the ladder.
The Rabbitohs have been hit with a number of injuries this season SEN’s Andrew Voss and Greg Alexander debated whether those injuries have exposed deeper issues with the club including their recruitment.
“They have played 19 matches and sit 6-13,” Voss said on SEN 1170 Breakfast.
“Is this season a write-off because of the horrendous injury toll and suspensions? Or is this a slump that goes on for a number of years? Are they in a rut?"
Alexander said: “When they lost their skipper Cameron Murray before the start of the season, I thought then and there that it was going to be a tough year.
“You look at their injuries. Cody Walker has only played eight games. He looks like his body is giving up on him.
“He’s been the go-to man in providing try scoring opportunities but I don’t know if he gets back on the field next year and plays as well as what he has in the past.
“Age may be catching up with him.
“If you go through the list of the Bunnies and if they can field their strongest side, it’s a strong side and they can be competitive.
“They bought terribly last year with Lewis Dodd. They’ve paid $700,000 for him and he’s played one game (at halfback). That’s a bad buy.
“Jamie Humphreys started the year well but he’s not a starting halfback.
“At their strongest, it’s a competitive side and how far up the table that takes them, I don’t know.”
What does Super League expansion mean for the NRL? | SEN
“Along the way, they picked up Mikaele Ravalawa and Brandon Smith who both sadly got injured,” Voss added.
“Jayden Sullivan is on loan and he got injured. Lachlan Hubner only played a few games and Euan Aitken has only played 13 games and is also injured.
“Campbell Graham has played 11 of 19 games and he’s injured.
“Some others that have been injured along the way include Jye Gray who has missed five games, Alex Johnston has missed eight, Peter Mamouzelos has missed eight, Latrell Mitchell has missed nine, Tyrone Munro has missed 11 and the list just goes on.
“There deserves to be an asterisk on them but I don’t have faith in the senior members with Walker and Mitchell taking them to the promised land.
“I think it’s going to be a dry spell.”
The Rabbitohs parted ways with coach Jason Demetriou in the middle of the 2024 season and announced the return of coach Wayne Bennett who was at the helm for the 2021 Grand Final.
“Are you picking Souths to make the eight next year?” Alexander asked.
“Probably not,” Voss replied.
“I suppose I have to say that they are in a rut but with their decline this year, I certainly can’t look past their injury toll.
“It’s horrendous and it has gone on all through the year.”
Jai Arrow and Tallis Duncan are the only two players that have played all 19 games for South Sydney this season.
The Rabbitohs travel to Suncorp Stadium to play the Brisbane Broncos on Friday night.
